Outdated?

[MightyB]

I get a lot of martial arts catalogues and, as you can probably tell, I spend a lot of time on the internet. Probably my favorite section of those are the sections about books and videos, and, like many of you, I have a pretty good collection of MA books and videos.

Lately, I'm beginning to see things in a different light. I see most of the stuff and read most of the descriptions and I think to myself this is archaic in the least or just plain utter BS. I know that I'm personally gravitating to a MMA approach and it's been happening for quite some time now, but, for real, I see most of the stuff and can't believe why people waste their time with it. Mostly, it's the chi, styles, and forms stuff. I can barely look at it and I'm almost embarrased to be caught reading the descriptions at Barnes and Nobles. There's no style or country that I dislike in particular, it's just most of the stuff is pure crap.

I find that the only things that catch my interest now are books on training methods and drills and I gravitate to books and vids by people who've actually tested and proven that their stuff works.

I'm not anti-traditional because I do enjoy learning traditional stuff, but I find that I need to be able to put it in the context of actual, not theoretical, use. I also find that I need to feel strained at the end of a workout and that limit keeps increasing, otherwise I feel that I waste my time.

Am I alone in this or am I part of a new breed of martial artist? What are your thoughts and have any of you gone through a similar experience?

[ShaolinTiger00]

Welcome to the light Brother B. * secret handshake*

[dnc101]

No, you're not alone. Many martial artists today cross train or seek additional training. But you need a good base to work with before you can effectively branch out with your training, so your time thus far wasn't wasted. I'd say MMA is a good way to go if that's what interests you.

Edit: but don't listen to ST, your forms work wasn't wasted effort! :)

[yenhoi]

Much like KFO, real life is 99% filtering bs, and 1% yenhoi.

:eek:

[Suntzu]

Mighty Troll…

whats dated to me… is the thot that forms, chi gung… and stance training is all that was done in the past that made some of these legends great fighters… "oh, so and so did chi gung foe 8 hours a day and knew the 82,124 form of this and that style and was undefeated in a million challenges"... like so an so didn;t carry heavy sh!t to get stronger... or sparred half the town on order to get better and test himself... when so and so got dumped on his head... he didn't go practice against other people that dump folks on they head so it wouldn't happen again... i dont have anything against the ultra-'traditional' stuff... books on forms and chi gung and the such is a good way to keep the history and info alive... but making sure YOU know what you KNOW is whats most important... whether it the million and on forms for the sake of forms or the 6 throws for the ring...

[SaMantis]

When I started martial arts I read anything and everything MA-related that I could get my hands on, bought videos, all that. That fever has tapered off quite a bit although I still browse the magazine racks once in awhile.

After awhile, I think, I just realized that whatever I was searching for wasn't in those books and articles, but it might be in my practice.

I still love cheesy old kung-fu movies, though.

[MightyB]

ST posted a link a little while back that captures my mood. Skills Based Approach (http://www.themat.com/articles/showquestion.asp?faq=5&fldAuto=115).

This is an article from the Mat written by a wrestling coach. He goes on to explain that one only needs to learn a few fundamental skills to do thousands of moves. I can relate to that. It just makes sense.

I do like doing forms, but I think class time is better spent doing two man drills, bag and mit work, and sparring. Forms seems better suited as homework. Although lately I don't focus too heavy on them even at home. I went so far as to teach my wife basic San Shou so that she feels competent enough to hold mits and thai pads for me.

I don't know, it might just be a phase.

[yenhoi]

Probaby just a phase. If you only trained the way a competitive fighter needs to train all the time, you would be very bored after 15 years of day in and day out training, and possible burnt out, injured, lacking proper attitude etc. Or maybe not. Training is as much an individual thing as how you fight.

Just keep YOUR training real and challenging - and be sure to get your ass kicked as much as possible and your in the money.

:eek:

[MightyB]

I plan on retiring from competitive fighting when I'm 35. That gives me 7 more years, although I wish that I'd started competing in San Shou at 22 rather than 27. Guys, start now if you're at all interested in fighting. Don't wait.

[ShaolinTiger00]

Mighty B. that was a good article.

wives who do sanshou/bjj - very dangerous.

"Honey take out the trash"

"I'll do it later."

"You'll do it know buddy! *slaps on rear choke*"

"Yes dear. gasp gasp"

[Suntzu]

good article… now I have ???'s for the other thread…